MARYSVILLE – Nobody is against reducing traffic congestion.
But how many are willing to step up and do something about it?
The city of Marysville, The Everett Clinic at Smokey Point and C&D Zodiac are local employers leading the way.
In a presentation to the City Council at a work session Monday, Caryn Walline of Community Transit said their participation in a program called “Curb the Congestion” has reduced not only gridlock, but also pollution because of fewer vehicles on the road.
CT works with large employers of more than 100 workers on Commute Trip Reductions, in accordance with a 1991 state law. CT also will work with smaller employers who voluntarily want to be a part of the program.
Alternatives that CT helps set up include carpooling, van pooling, bus rides, bicycling and walking. CT awards prizes for participants, and at the city participants can receive a small monthly subsidy.
Angela Gemmer, a senior planner with the city, said CT has a new alternative program that has proved to be even more effective than the one the city already is using. So staff will be asking the City Council to approve to the changed program Monday.
Two other presentations also took place Monday, from the city’s emergency management and communications departments.
Risk manager Diana Rose said she has had three CERT classes the last few years with almost 80 participants. Another free eight-week program will start in March. One of her goals this year is to have another day of training for them to keep up their skills.
Other goals for 2017 include finishing a handbook for volunteers, continuing to work with an amateur radio group and to work with the faith-based community. More goals include finishing disaster, emergency and flood plans. She hopes to set up Community Points of Distribution, where pallets of supplies would be brought in case of a disaster.
She also plans a training for council members on what “your roles would be in a disaster.”
Rose said a plan needs to be in place so volunteers know what to do. She said there wasn’t one for the Oso disaster. She also said something needs to be in place to track donations that come in after a tragedy.
The city is part of the Snohomish County disaster plan, but she hopes to have a “standalone plan this year” for Marysville.
Regarding communications, Connie Mennie said the city has increased its presence on Facebook and Twitter. For 2017 a Virtual Koffee Klatch with Mayor Jon Nehring is in the works, as is a major city education effort to remind citizens that it is no longer legal for fireworks to be shot off within the city limits.
Also Monday, another annexation, this one 71 acres, will be discussed, along with the city’s legislative priorities. The annexation would extend the city’s boundary to the south, from Ebey to Steamboat Slough. Most of the land is east of the railroad tracks. It would be zoned for industrial use.
Tops on both the state and federal legislative priorities list is the $20 million Ebey Waterfront Park and Trail Project. The city believes the project would be a regional attraction as the gateway to the 84-mile Skykomish to Sound Water Trail.
The $1.02 million Centennial Trail Connector at the Bayview Trail is second, as it would connect to the 29-mile trail from Snohomish to the Skagit County line.
The Grove Street Overcrossing ranks third, at a cost of $22 million. It would eliminate some of the congestion in town, which can back up traffic even on Interstate 5 when trains come through town.
Funds for a new Public Safety building rank fourth. Under general policies, the city plans to address homelessness, mental health and opioid issues.
In other council news:
•Parks director Jim Ballew said the Holiday Tour of Lights at Cedarcrest Golf Course smashed records. To compare, last year there were 2,452 riders, compared with 3,790 this year. Also, this year brought in donations of $13,700, compared with $8,700 last year.
•Public Works Director Kevin Nielsen said work on Third Street has slowed because of extremely cold temperatures. “Nine-degree nights don’t help us much,” he said, adding cement can’t be poured when it’s that cold. He also talked about the new sidewalks at Sunnyside Elementary really tying that community together. He also talked about grants obtained valued at $500,000 at Sunnyside and $272,000 at 80th Street helping with overlay projects.
•Donna Wright was re-elected to the Snohomish Health District board.
